Spring-wheel.



R. GRAHAM-WOODWARD.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1909.

981,414., Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

w am

R. GRAHAM-WOODWARD.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1909.

981,414, 1 Patented Jan. 10,1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

wi-bwwoao I 5 woe, w torwheels now in generzl use for motor-mars wheel in such relative positions that while residing in the borough oi Manhattan, city,

great strength having renewable parts which 'serics-nvill be paired with\ and intersect or E- rice;

ROBERT GRAHAIJI-W'OODW'ARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR -TO HERCULES SUS- PENSION TIRE COMPANY, OF-NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' SPRING-WHEEL.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911. Application filed August 18, 1909. Serial 11.0. 513,454.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all. whom it may concern: extend across .one spring member of the Be it known that I, Bonner GRAIIAW- other series. Each pair of crossing spring IVoonwann, a citizen of the United States, members is made, as far as possible,selfsustaining to resist any ordinary side blow or lateral stress, and, by the engagement of the paired members, to resist any unusual strain. 1

More specifically, my improved spring Wheel comprises an inner wheel member of ordinary construction, an outer rim member of larger diameter than the rim of the inner wheel member, and two circumferentialseries of spring members arranged between the two concentric rims'in parallel vertical planes and connected at their opposite ends with the concentric iiim members. The points of connection of the spring members with the outer surface of the inner :wheel rim are preferably in approximately the same radial planes as the points ofconnection of the spring members with the inner surface Of" the outer rim member. Each springmember comprises preferably a stout cylindrical compression spring mounted and cene county. and State (it-New York, haye- 1nventedeertain new and useful Improvements in- Spring-IVheels, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple and etiective resilient wheel of can be substituted for the pneumatic tired and other vehicles. 4

"In producing my improved wheel, I have had in mind as the main considerations the imitation so far as practicable of the rcsiliency of the pneumatic tired wheel now in use, while at the same 'timeproducin-g a wheel structure of greater strength and less liability to injury under ordinary working conditionsf l have. also had in mind the production of a-wheel in which the spring members are mounted between the Wheel rim members in normal or'untensioned condition with a view'of securing thegreatest efficiency of the springs under working conditions and simplifying the renewal of spring parts in case of accidental breakage. In my improved wheel the parts most liable to wear and breakage can be more readily replaced than the pneumatic tire of the wheels now conn-nonly used. Aside from these two main considerations, I have arranged the spring members-of my improved members which are pivotally and detaehably. connected with the rim members.

In the preferred form of my improved wheel of. the size approximating the ordinary automobile wheel of today the ar-, rangcmcnt ot' the two series of spring members between the concentric rim members of the wheel is such that in viewing the completed wheel in side elevation, the two series of s rings present the appearance of two inter need or intersecting pentagonal figures with the sides of said figures extending ap proximately tangentially to the periphery of the inner rim member. In thus outlining said pentagonal figures by the arrangement of the spring members, it will be observed that each side of each of said figures is made up of two spring members belonging to the two different parallel series of spring members. In this form of the wheel there are ten spring members in each series. The spring members may be arranged witha greater number in each series, as in making larger wheels, and there may. if desired, be

more than two parallel series of spring members by making the wheels of greater rim width.

With my improved arrangement all of the tangential spring members of one series arranged in ajcommon vertical "plane exone half of the spring members are yieldingly sustaining the weight; of the car, the other spring members are presented in opposed position to act as shock absorbers and also to avoid the objectionable teetering or up and down motion of the ear. I have also made provision ttyegfi'ectively resist any relative lateral movement between the two rim. members of the wheel under a side blow or lateral skidding strain, by mounting the spring members between the main or inner wheel member and the, outer wheel rim in two tangential series arranged in parallel vcrt ieal longitudinal planes of the wheel, the spring member of one series in one plane alternating circumterentiaily with the spring members of the other series in the other plane, so thateaeh spring member of one tered upon two relatively movable barrel tend. forwardly the terms member.

- rim l of m'msiderably springs.

rim l) for the attacl;

jectiug ears, lugs l a plural series ofspring members winch are l between the" two rim 'memof the spring members of series extend rearwardly, considering forwardly and rearwardly with relation to the rotation oft-he wheel.

The relatively movable guiding and supporting parts of the spring members-are preferably pivotally connected with lugs or brackets on therim members through the I medium of removable vpins or bolts.-- I prefer to mount each spring'upon its support in. its normal untensioned or non-compressed condition so that the greatest efliciency of the springs will-be obtained and the'operaanti-rattling spring washe 'msy he-mounttion of renewing the individual spring :ed upon one ot-the pin or barrel members T, withoutthe use of tools will be facilitated. 1" i engagement ith 0116 d f p i s Furthermore each member of one series is although'this latter element is not essential, arranged directly opposed to a spring-memj as centrifugal force will ordinarily hold the e i the other Series 5 f e SH t h inactive springs against movement-upon the he rebound of each spring member is r barrels while the wheel isrunning. A solid sisted by the opposing spring member acting rubber cu hion as a shock absorber. This last named arf one ban- 1, m mber ,T, Tto engage the rangement also facilitates the renewal 'of the d f ,the other barrel member under a great shock although the spring S will rarely, if ever, be compressed sufliciently to throw the ends of said. barrel members into contact. l

Each spring member is mounted'between the rims D and F by pivotallyconnecting the bearing head t with"one of the outwardly projecting lugs or brackets E, and the bearing head 5 with one'of the inwardly projecting lugs or brackets H,so that all of the spring inembe'rs will be approximately tangential to the inner rim. These pivotal connections betweenthe spring supporting and guiding members and the lugs upon the rims l individually pivoted to brackets E and H and arranged in parallel planes in the annular space between the rims in the manner now to be explained.

The individual spring members are erably constructed asshown in the drawings, in which each comprises a'lieavy. cylindrical "compression spring S siteends upcnthe guiding barrel or pin members T and T, each one of which is formed with a hearing. head f or t, and a circular spring retaining bers, while all ther I flange or collar u or 24. If preferred an eas lyjcompressible In order that my inventionmay be fully understood, I will first describe thesame with reference to the accom 'panying drawings, and attemvard point out the novelty more particularly in the annexed clai1ns.- In said drawings: Figure 1 is a sideelevati on of a spring wheel constructed in accord-v ance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional plan view of a part of the wheel, omitting the outer rim and showing the connections of four adjacent spring'members with the inner rim. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a detached spring In constructing a springwheel in accordance with my iuventiom. I take a central wheel member made of the ordinary hub A, spokes l3, i'elly (J and metal rim D surrounding the telly and form upon or otherwise securely fastcn to the rim 1), the outwardl projecting ears, lugs or brackets E arranged in planes approximately radial t0 the. inner wheel member'and at equal distances apart around the periphery of the uent of the spring (:(JI'lFstI'UCt an outer metal larger diameter than i). This outer rim F is formed at its edges with external annular flanges F to retain upon it the solid tire G formed of rubber, leather or other suitable nniteriah to eliminate the noise that the metal 1 l? would otherwise make in contacting wllhthe road. This outer rim F is also tormci with a series of ii'm'ardly proor brackets H for the attaclnnent of the spring members. p

The inner and outer wheel rim members D and just described, are supported. in spaced concentric relation and connected by which pass through said lugs or brackets and said bearing heads and have any suitable means, such for instance as lock nuts or linch-pins, for retaining them in proper position.

\Vith particular reference to Fig. l of the series-of spring members arranged between the inner and outer Wheel rims indicated by the reference numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5f, 6, 7,7 8, 9 and 10, all extend in the same direction ,With reference to the rotation of the wheel, that is, from the 'lugs or brackets H of outer rim F forwardly to the lugs or brackets E of the rim D, and that all of said members are in the same vertical plane, considering the wheel inupright position as when in use. It will also be observed that the rear series of spring members indicated by the reference letters 0, 7). c, 11 f, extend from the lugs or b'rackets'l'l. of the outer rim F rearwardly to the lugs or black- -ets l) of. lheinucrrlni I), and that all of this second series of spring members are in aconnnou vertical pland parallcl with the plane in which the iirst'mentioncd series of spring members is located. lVith members. I next the inner rim at their opposite ends ref mounted at its oppo" drawings. it will be observed that the front.

X may be mounted in the end-1 are preferably by means ofpivotlbolts W g, 72, 2' and 7' all 1 heads t or i this arrangement, it will further be observed that a pivot pin, lV connects the bearing of two spring lnenibers of difterent series to each of the ears or lugs E and to ot the ears or lugs ll, this a r-' -rangementbeing clearly indicated in Fig. 2 ft-itthe drawings,

' "Considering the wheel in the posit-ion shown iii-Fig.1 of the drawings, it will be fwilluhefborne, mainly f opposite sides of the I. will be i v 'tli'e'se ,a'ctire spring =se ed that members 1, 2 10.3 and 9 .are incleartha-t' the weight sustained by the wheel H I by the spring members 1 and'gg which are parallel with the load and that proportionally decreasing assistancerendered by the spring members 2 IO audit Band 0' 'andt) and i. Of

Janttj members it will be oba di'fierent ;Y BLtlCtll' longitudinal plane from p and i, so. that the load of the \ji he'e l is always sustainedby an equal number of springmembers "in front and rear of the vertical axis of the wheel upon tudinal plane of the wheel, thereby etl'ec- Jtii elyeql 'al'izing the. strain, upon andresiliencyrot the" heel-and mfoiding all torsionalor'relative" sidezwi semovement. ,It will be observed further w'th reference to Ilig. 1 that the active spring "members 1 and g, 2 and f, '10 and 71 '3 andc, and 9' and i have opposed to them res 'iectively in the nature 'or'bntl'ers, the spring members b1 and K3,; 0 and 5, (t and l, J and 4; and yfand 8, so that all tendency tO'lQlJOlUld beyond "the initial position of the wheel will be "prev nted [by the] opposition of the v springs equal-in power to-the springs carry-' 111g the weight. a

' It is i'ny intention in lmilding'.1ny wheel, to. mount all-the 'spri-i'igmembers upon the wheel in normal"or non-compressedcondition. and to employsprings o-f suflicient relative power to presentf'an initialresistance to practically'withstand or balance the normal weight of the car and load-without yielding, so that the wheel Will act as a practically rigid. wheel upon a smoothlevel road but willbe capable of yielding and absorbing allsltocks' or blows due to'i nequalitis or obstructionsin' the roadsince such shocks overcome the -.initial resistance ot the springs. 7 1 U I'Vhile the wheel is running the c'entrif ugal force will ordinarilyhold thesprings S (white inactive) outwardly"against the heads of their guidin members pivoted to the outer rim, or it too rotation is -too slow to effect this the lightspring -washers heretofore referred to vwill prevent the loosemovement of the springs upon their supports, l

In theevcnt of any part of a spring lite-m -ber becoming injured or broken, it"is only necessary tot-urn the wheel to bring the injured member in inactive position above the,

central ertical long1- horizontal plane of the axle, when it will be loose and can be readily removed and a new one put in place The simplicity of repai ing broken parts without the necessity of rcn'ioving the wheel or any parts thereof, other than the broken member, is considered of great importance.

. The tendency of the outer rim member to creep with reference to the inner rim member. upon the application ot' driving power to the inner wheel member, is counteracted by the weight of the car acting through theactive spring members supplemented by the opposed or inactive spring members. In this wayvmy improved wheel atl'ords a very desirable and etl'ectixe resilient driving connection between the motor and traction part ot the wheel in a motor driven vehicle.

3y providing a plural series of spring members in parallel planes with the members of one series alternating with and crossing the members of another series, the outer rim is amply supported at all points tlu inner wheel member practically floats upon the spring members within the outer rim. andtransrerse strain or movement between 'the inner and outer rims is resisted by the .spring members.

baclt and forth:

strainupon the springs and by reason ot.

the tangential arrangement of the individual spring members, and ot thespring supports with the rim members, the thrust'upon the springs is always lengthwise and the greatest part of the load is supported by the spring tical position and is borne in succession.

"What I claim is:

1. In a spring wheel the combination ot the inner and outer spaced wheel member with two paired series of normally unstrained single acting spring members arranged in' approximately parallel relation between said wheel members and serving to yieldingly support said inner wheel member within said outer wheel member.

2. In a spring wheel. the continuation of the separated inner and outer wheel memby the members compression. spring men'ibcrs arranged in wheel members and means loosely confining said spring members in then. planes of act1on,- said confining means permitting the the wheel members and members in loosenncompressed condition 'upon the separation ot adjacent portions of said wheel members.

In a spring wheel. the combination of thc spaced inner and outer with two series oi single acting normally members 111 V01 hers, with two paired series of single acting compression of'individual spring members upon the approach of ad acentportions ot leaving said spring wheel members,-

the pivotal connections approximately parallel relation between said of said inner unstrained spring members arranged in parallel vertical planes between said wheel members and serving to yieldingly support said inner Wheel member within said outer wheel member the spring members of one ud series extending in opposite d lions to and paired with the ot the other of said series. l. In a spring wheel, the con'ibination of the spaced inner and outer rim members, with two series of spring members arranged in parallel vertical planes between said rim members, all of said spring members of both .series extending approximately tangentially rim member, and the spring members of one series extending in opposition to and crossing or intersecting the spring members of the other series to engage therewith undertransverse strain and imitually'resist lateral displacement of said rim members.

5. In a spring'wheel,

spring members the combination of the inner wheel memberhaving a circular rim. the outer "concentric rim member, and guiding members pivotally connected with the inner and outer rims, with two approximately parallel series of compression springs members arranged between said concentric rims, and each spring member being t'reely mounted in unstrained condition upon a pair of said guiding members to yieldingly sppport the rnn.

inner wheel within the outer l l l l l l irec l l l l l. l I l 6. In a spring wheehf. the combma'tion'fot the inner of spring supportingand outer spacedwheel members t with two paired series devices arranged in parallel planes between W each of said member being in the same radialplanes as of the inner wheel the connecting points member, and two series strained oppositely acting springs, each one of which is freely mounted upon one pair of said spring supporting-devices.

7. In a spring wheel, the .combin'atioirot the inner and outer rim members, with a plurality of spring members arranged between, and connecting said run members,

each spring member comprising a. cylindri'cal compression spring, and two frelatitely movable guide'pins or barrels which are pivotally connected with the-inner and outer rim members respectirely, said compression s n'ings' being loosclymounted upon said guide pins or barrels in normal or no st 'ained condition. Y ROBERT GllillAM-WOODWARD, Witnesses: I

W'M. E. KNIGH T, LAURA E. MONK.

of each pair I of normally un-' 

